toes；　or　they　might　be　bad　blood；　from　wrong　eating；
  or　they　might　be　pure　filth。　　Will　you　hand　me　some　towels？〃
  〃No；　I　won't！〃　said　Margaret。
  〃Well；　give　me　some　rags；　then。〃
  Margaret　compromised　on　pieces　of　old　tablecloth。
  Wesley　led　Billy　to　the　cistern；　pumped　cold　water　into
  the　tub；　poured　in　a　kettle　of　hot；　and　beginning　at　the
  head　scoured　him。　　The　boy　shut　his　little　teeth；　and
  said　never　a　word　though　he　twisted　occasionally　when
  the　soap　struck　a　raw　spot。　　Margaret　watched　the　process
  from　the　window　in　amazed　and　ever…increasing　anger。
  Where　did　Wesley　learn　it？　　How　could　his　big　hands　be
  so　gentle？　　He　came　to　the　door。
  〃Have　you　got　any　peroxide？〃　he　asked。
  〃A　little；〃　she　answered　stiffly。
  〃Well；　I　need　about　a　pint；　but　I'll　begin　on　what　you　have。〃
  Margaret　handed　him　the　bottle。　　Wesley　took　a　cup；
  weakened　the　drug　and　said　to　Billy：　　〃Man；　these　sores
  on　you　must　be　healed。　　Then　you　must　eat　the　kind　of
  food　that's　fit　for　little　men。　　I　am　going　to　put　some
  medicine　on　you；　and　it　is　going　to　sting　like　fire。　　If　it
  just　runs　off；　I　won't　use　any　more。　　If　it　boils；　there　is
  poison　in　these　places；　and　they　must　be　tied　up；　dosed
  every　day；　and　you　must　be　washed；　and　kept　mighty　clean。
  Now；　hold　still；　because　I　am　going　to　put　it　on。〃
  〃I　think　the　one　on　my　leg　is　the　worst；〃　said　the　undaunted
  Billy；　holding　out　a　raw　place。　　Sinton　poured　on　the　drug。
  Billy's　body　twisted　and　writhed；　but　he　did　not　run。
  〃Gee；　look　at　it　boil！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　guess　they's　poison。
  You'll　have　to　do　it　to　all　of　them。〃
  Wesley's　teeth　were　set；　as　he　watched　the　boy's　face。
  He　poured　the　drug；　strong　enough　to　do　effective　work；
  on　a　dozen　places　over　that　little　body　and　bandaged　all
  he　could。　　Billy's　lips　quivered　at　times；　and　his　chin
  jumped；　but　he　did　not　shed　a　tear　or　utter　a　sound　other
  than　to　take　a　deep　interest　in　the　boiling。　　As　Wesley
  put　the　small　shirt　on　the　boy；　and　fastened　the　trousers；
  he　was　ready　to　reset　the　hitching　post　and　mend　the　fence
  without　a　word。
  〃Now　am　I　clean？〃　asked　Billy。
  〃Yes；　you　are　clean　outside；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃There　is
  some　dirty　blood　in　your　body；　and　some　bad　words　in
  your　mouth；　that　we　have　to　get　out；　but　that　takes　time。
  If　we　put　right　things　to　eat　into　your　stomach
  that　will　do　away　with　the　sores；　and　if　you　know　that
  I　don't　like　bad　words　you　won't　say　them　any　oftener
  than　you　can　help；　will　you　Billy？〃
  Billy　leaned　against　Wesley　in　apparent　indifference。
  〃I　want　to　see　me！〃　he　demanded。
  Wesley　led　the　boy　into　the　house；　and　lifted　him　to　a　mirror。
  〃My；　I'm　purty　good…looking；　ain't　I？〃　bragged　Billy。
  Then　as　Wesley　stooped　to　set　him　on　the　floor　Billy's
  lips　passed　close　to　the　big　man's　ear　and　hastily
  whispered　a　vehement　〃No！〃　as　he　ran　for　the　door。
  〃How　long　until　supper；　Margaret？〃　asked　Wesley
  as　he　followed。
  〃You　are　going　to　keep　him　for　supper？〃　she　asked
  〃Sure！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃That's　what　I　brought　him　for。
  It's　likely　he　never　had　a　good　square　meal　of　decent
  food　in　his　life。　　He's　starved　to　the　bone。〃
  Margaret　arose　deliberately；　removed　the　white　cloth
  from　the　supper　table　and　substituted　an　old　red　one
  she　used　to　wrap　the　bread。　　She　put　away　the　pretty
  dishes　they　commonly　used　and　set　the　table　with　old
  plates　for　pies　and　kitchen　utensils。　　But　she　fried　the
  chicken；　and　was　generous　with　milk　and　honey；　snowy
  bread；　gravy；　potatoes；　and　fruit。
  Wesley　repainted　the　scratched　wheel。　　He　mended　the
  fence；　with　Billy　holding　the　nails　and　handing　the　pickets。
  Then　he　filled　the　old　hole；　digged　a　new　one　and　set　the
  hitching　post。
  Billy　hopped　on　one　foot　at　his　task　of　holding　the　post
  steady　as　the　earth　was　packed　around　it。　　There　was
  not　the　shadow　of　a　trouble　on　his　little　freckled　face。
  Sinton　threw　in　stones　and　pounded　the　earth　solid　around
  the　post。　　The　sound　of　a　gulping　sob　attracted　him　to　Billy。
  The　tears　were　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　　〃If　I'd　a　knowed
  you'd　have　to　get　down　in　a　hole；　and　work　so　hard　I
  wouldn't　'a'　hit　the　horses；〃　he　said。
  〃Never　you　mind；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃You　will
  know　next　time；　so　you　can　think　over　it；　and　make　up
  your　mind　whether　you　really　want　to　before　you　strike。〃
  Wesley　went　to　the　barn　to　put　away　the　tools。　　He
  thought　Billy　was　at　his　heels；　but　the　boy　lagged　on
  the　way。　　A　big　snowy　turkey　gobbler　resented　the　small
  intruder　in　his　especial　preserves；　and　with　spread　tail
  and　dragging　wings　came　toward　him　threateningly。　　If　that
  turkey　gobbler　had　known　the　sort　of　things　with　which
  Billy　was　accustomed　to　holding　his　own；　he　never　would
  have　issued　the　challenge。　　Billy　accepted　instantly。
  He　danced　around　with　stiff　arms　at　his　sides　and　imitated
  the　gobbler。　　Then　came　his　opportunity；　and　he　jumped
  on　the　big　turkey's　back。　　Wesley　heard　Margaret's　scream
  in　time　to　see　the　flying　leap　and　admire　its　dexterity。
  The　turkey　tucked　its　tail　and　scampered。　　Billy　slid　from
  its　back　and　as　he　fell　he　clutched　wildly；　caught　the
  folded　tail；　and　instinctively　clung　to　it。　　The　turkey
  gave　one　scream　and　relaxed　its　muscles。　　Then　it　fled
  in　disfigured　defeat　to　the　haystack。　　Billy　scrambled
  to　his　feet　holding　the　tail；　while　his　eyes　were　bulging。
  〃Why；　the　blasted　old　thing　came　off！〃　he　said　to
  Wesley；　holding　out　the　tail　in　amazed　wonder。
  The　man；　caught　suddenly；　forgot　everything　and　roared。
  Seeing　which；　Billy　thought　a　turkey　tail　of　no
  account　and　flung　that　one　high　above　him　shouting　in
  wild　childish　laughter；　when　the　feathers　scattered　and　fell。
  Margaret；　watching；　began　to　cry。　　Wesley　had　gone　mad。
  For　the　first　time　in　her　married　life　she　wanted
  to　tell　her　mother。　　When　Wesley　had　waited　until　he
  was　so　hungry　he　could　wait　no　longer　he　invaded　the
  kitchen　to　find　a　cooked　supper　baking　on　the　back　of　the
  stove；　while　Margaret　with　red　eyes　nursed　a　pair　of
  demoralized　white　kittens。
  〃Is　supper　ready？〃　he　asked。
  〃It　has　been　for　an　hour；〃　answered　Margaret。
  〃Why　didn't　you　call　us？〃
  That　〃us〃　had　too　much　comradeship　in　it。　　It　irritated　Margaret。
  〃I　supposed　it　would　take　you　even　longer　than　this　to
  fix　things　decent　again。　　As　for　my　turkey；　and　my　poor
  little　kittens；　they　don't　matter。〃
  〃I　am　mighty　sorry　about　them；　Margaret；　you　know　that。
  Billy　is　very　bright；　and　he　will　soon　learn〃
  〃Soon　learn！〃　cried　Margaret。　　〃Wesley　Sinton；　you
  don't　mean　to　say　that　you　think　of　keeping　that　creature
  here　for　some　time？〃
  〃No；　I　think　of　keeping　a　well…behaved　little　boy。〃
  Margaret　set　the　supper　on　the　table。　　Seeing　the　old
  red　cloth　Wesley　stared　in　amazement。　　Then　he　understood。
  Billy　capered　around　in　delight。
  〃Ain't　that　pretty？〃　he　exulted。　　〃I　wish　Jimmy　and
  Belle　could　see。　　We；　why　we　ist　eat　out　of　our　hands　or
  off　a　old　dry　goods　box；　and　when　we　fix　up　a　lot；　we
  have　newspaper。　　We　ain't　ever　had　a　nice　red　cloth　like　this。〃
  Wesley　looked　straight　at　Margaret；　so　intently　that　she
  turned　away；　her　face　flushing。　　He　stacked　the　dictionary
  and　the　geography　of　the　world　on　a　chair；　and　lifted　Billy
  beside　him。　　He　heaped　a　plate　generously；　cut　the　food；
  put　a　fork　into　Billy's　little　fist；　and　made　him　eat　slowly
  and　properly。　　Billy　did　his　best。　　Occasionally　greed
  overcame　him；　and　he　used　his　left　hand　to　pop　a　bite　into
  his　mouth　with　his　fingers。　　These　lapses　Wesley　patiently
  overlooked；　and　went　on　with　his　general　instructions。
  Luckily　Billy　did　not　spill　anything　on　his　clothing　or
  the　cloth。　　After　supper　Wesley　took　him　to　the　barn　while
  he　finished　the　night　work。　　Then　he　went　and　sat　beside
  Margaret　on　the　front　porch。　　Billy　appropriated　the
  hammock；　and　swung　by　pulling　a　rope　tied　around　a　tree。
  The　very　energy　with　which　he　went　at　the　work　of
  swinging　himself　appealed　to　Wesley。
  〃Mercy；　but　he's　an　active　little　body；〃　he　said。
  〃There　isn't　a　lazy　bone　in　him。　　See　how　he　works
  to　pay　for　his　fun。〃
  〃There　goes　his　foot　through　it！〃　cried　Margaret。
  〃Wesley；　he　shall　not　ruin　my　hammock。〃
  〃Of　course　he　shan't！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Wait；　Billy；　let
  me　show　you。〃
  Thereupon　he　explained　to　Billy　that　ladies　wearing
  beautiful　white　dresses　sat　in　hammocks；　so　little　boys
  must　not　put　their　dusty　feet　in　them。　　Billy　immediately
  sat；　and　allowed　his　feet　to　swing。
  〃Margaret；〃　said　Wesley　after　a　long　silence　on　the
  porch；　〃isn't　it　true　that　if　Billy　had　been　a　half…starved
  sore　cat；　dog；　or　animal　of　any　sort；　that　you　would　have
  pitied；　and　helped　care　for　it；　and　been　glad　to　see　me　get
  any　pleasure　out　of　it　I　could？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Margaret　coldly。
  〃But　because　I　brought　a　child　with　an　immortal　soul；
  there　is　no　welcome。〃
  〃That　isn't　a　child；　i